Aerodrome.



G. SNOW.

' ABRODBOME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12,1910.

Patented Jun 27,1911.

4' SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wane/nae:

G. SNOW.

ABRODROMB. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 12, 1910.

Patented June 27, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a O f H e u n a G. SNOW.

ABRODROME. APPLICATION nun MAY 12,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented June 27, 1911.

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AERODBOME.

Specification Letters latent.

Patented June 2'7, 1911.

Application filed May 12, 191.0. Serial No. 560,959.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, GUY SNOW, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Kaufman, 1n the county of Kaufman and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Aerodrome, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aerodromes and its object is to provide a machine of this character embodying the features of a helicopter and orthoptera whereby the machine f can be readily elevated and sustained above a fixed point, means also being utilized for rope'lling the machine in a desired direction.

I A further object is to provideamachine of this character the elevating wings of which are so constructed as to readily pass upwardly through the air but to prevent the passage of air through them during their A furtherobject is to provide wings arranged in series, the wings of each series being adapted to simultaneously move in opposite directions, so that a continuous force 1s exerted by the wings to elevate the machine. 1

further object is to provide wings, which, when stationary, can be utilized. as sustaining planes. i

' A further object is to provide a novel form of elevating wheel. I

A still further object isto provide an aerodrome having cars suspended therein for lateral oscillation whereby lateral tilting of the machine will not result ina correspond ing movement of the car.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts herein the claims.

In -the accompanying drawings the 'preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :'Figure 1 is a rear-elevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine, the elevating.

wings upon the near side thereofbeing removed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged end elevation ing therefrom. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a portion of the wing, said sec tion being on an enlarged scale.- Fig. 5 is a perspective" view of a flaps. 7 is an enlarged section showing.

of one of the wings and of the arm extend-- I portion of the wing. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the wing one of the eccentrics and its frame in elevation and showing the guides engaged by the pins on the frames. Fig. 8 1s a plan view of one of the elevating, wheels. Fig. 9 is. a horizontal section showing one form of rudder actuating mechanism which may be employed.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a platform of any suitable proportions and mounted at its ends upon'springs 2 connected to axles 3 which are-carried by supporting wheels 4. These axles may be formed with suitable braces 5 whereby. displacement thereof relative to the platform 1 is prevented. Outer and inner posts 6 and 7 extend upwardly from each end of the platform at the centerthereof,

these posts supporting a top strip 8 extending longitudinally of the machine and which,

together wit-hthe postsand platform make up the main frame of the structure. A supporting rod 9 is mounted within the posts 7 and is arranged above and parallel with the platform, this rod constituting a support for hangers 10 which are arranged in pairs, each pair of hangers being connected to a basket or car 11. It will be apparent therefore that the cars are capable of oscillating laterally, or, rather, of remaining stationary during the lateral tilting of the main frame. Arms 12 extend laterally from the upper portions of the post 7, these arms on each post being arranged in upper and lower pairs, the arms of the u per pair constituting supports for longitudinally extending guide strips 13 while the arms of the lower pair constitute supports for longitudinally extending guide strips 14. Each of the strips 13 is preferably provided with three pairs of apertures 15, the apertures of the middle pair being spaced apart a distance equal to twice the distance of the apertures of either of the other pairs. Additional apertures 16 are formed within the strips 14'and are located directly under and in alinement with the apertures 15. Guide pins 17 are slidably mounted within the apertures 15'and extend upwardly from frames 18which are interposed between the strips, 13 and 14. Additional guide pins 19 extend downwardly from these frames and naled within the posts 7, this shaft being parallel with the strips 13 and 14 and'pro- 'vided at an intermediate point with a sprocket 21 driven by. a chain 22 which receives motion from a motor 23' locatedlon I the platform 1 atm point between the cars 11.

Located within each of the frames 18 and secured to the shaft 20- is an eccentric 24'the diameter of which is substantially equal 'to the distance between the upper and lower portions of the frame 18. The length of each frame'however is considerably greater than the diameter of the eccentric, so that when said eccentric rotates, the frame will only be shiftedupwardly and downwardly thereby. Brackets 25' are secured upon the post 27 and extend laterally therefrom, these brackets supporting pivot rods 26. Levers 27 are fulcrumed upon the rod 26 and ar ranged in pairs, each leverbeing provided at its outer end with outwardly diverging arms 28 and the said levers being arranged in pairss the levers of each pair being connected by a bar 29. The inner? ends of the levers are connected to 'theadjoining frames 3 18 by means of links 30.-

Secured to .each of the bars 29 is aiwing frame made up of upper parallel longitudinally-extending rods. 31 connected by transversely extending parallel rods 32, these upper rods being connected, by hangers 33, with lower longitudinally extending .rods 34. These lower rods may be connected at their ends and at one or more intermediatepoints, by means of transversely extending rods 35.

I Brace wires 36 extend from the arms'28 and to the upper and lower. rods respectively of the wing frame and thus'serve to hold said frame fixed relative to the arm and lever so that it will not become distorted orstrained as a result of usei Th? rods 32 constitute pivots forflaps 3:7 prefe ably formed of thin .sheets of aluml- ,num', these flaps being arranged inrows, and each row being located between two adjoin- -ing rods 31. The upper edge portion 'of each flap is preferably wrapped loosely about the adjoining rod 32 and a laterally extending lug 38 may be extended from the lower or free end of the flap so as to nor-- -'mally rest on the adjoining wire 34 and thus support the flaps in an inclined position under normal conditions.

Inasmuch as one bar 29 is connected to a each pair of levers and there-are three of these pairs at each side, of the'machin'e, it

' will be apparent that there are three w ngs located at each side of the,machine. intermediate wing is of twicethe width of,

The

either of the end wings and the length of all the wings is the same. The eccentrics operating the intermediate wing are disposed opposite to the eccentrics operating'the end wm'gs and it will be apparent therefore that whenthese eccentrics simultaneously rotate, the

intermediate wing and the end wings will be simultaneously moved opposite directions.

'vation. v elevating wheels or both may be utilized for 4 raising the machine.

"A shaft 39 is journaled adjacent its ends 3 within the post 7 and has a sprocket 40 thereon atan intermediate point, the said sprocket receiving motion through a chain. 41 from the motor 23. Gears 42 are secured to the ends of-the shaft 39 and each of these gears meshes with a smaller gear 43 secured to a shaft 44 which is journaled within the platform 1 and the top strip 8. The two .7

shafts 44 are parallel and extend a considerable distance abovethe' strip'8, the upper portion of each shaft being provided with preferably four pairs of radially extending blades 45, the various-blades being arranged at 45 degrees to each other and each ,blade being preferably provided with brace wires 46 or the like extending from the outer end thereof to the shaft 44. The pairs of blades are arranged one above the other and, when they rotate, they have thesaine effect as a the blades is preferably made up of a light large spiral. '-As shown in Fig. 8 each of skeleton frame 47 on which .a covering 48 of thin aluminum, or of a light fabric, may be placed. 1 The upper ends of the shafts 44 are journaled within a connecting strip 44.

It will be noted that the gears 42 and 43 are so located as to cause theshaft'44 to simultaneously rotate-in opposite directions.

The .two elevating wheels made up of theblades 45 willthus act'in opposition. 'Two propellers 49 are preferably located at the rear end of'the main frame, each propeller being mounted upon a shaft 50, WhlCh is journaled on the platform 1 and is driven- -by th'e motof' 23 through any suitable mech-v anism. V

A vertical rudder 51 is mounted between. the front end of the strip Sand is provide with trunnions 52 journaled-within the platformlan'd to .strip respectively. This rudder is prefera ly in .an'occupant of the adjoining car 11 no matter to what angle the framed the machine may tilt relative to the car. It 1s of course to be understoodthat this form of rudder actuating mechanism is only one 'of many which may be utilized for the purpose of shifting the rudder.

latform 1 and the "the form of a right angle triangle and hasi I It will be apparent that the inachine heiev in idescribed eanbe elevated vertically or. can be propelled forward during its ele-f Moreover either the of the Whentheshaft 20 is set in motionthe eccentrics 24 are simultaneously rotated and cause the frames 18 to reciprocate vertically, the frames of the middle wings moving, upwardly while the frames of the end wings move downwardly, and vice versa. Motion is transmitted from these frames through the combined areas of the end wings,'and

as said middle Wings move oppositely to the end wings, it will be apparent that during thevertical oscillation of the wings; the fmac'hine, will be continuously subjectedto ,i the-same lifting force and an uninterrupted" upward movement will thus be imparted to .1; the machine during the actuation of the After the machine has reached a wings.

predetermined height the propellers 49 may be set in motion and the operation of the wings may be stopped. The machine can therefore be caused to soar, the forward movement of the wings through the air causing the flaps to close upwardly against the rods 31 so that all of the wings will thus constitute sustaining planes.

Instead of elevatirfg the machine by means of the wings, the shafts 44 can be rotated so as to cause the blades 45 to elevate the machine. If preferred, also, these wheels can be operated simultaneously with the 1 wings and thus insure a more rapid ascent of the machine. As has heretofore been pointed out, should the machine tilt laterally while in flight, the cars 11 will remain substantially horizontal because they are hung from the pivot rod or bar 9.

Various changes can of course be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. An aerodrome including pivotally supported members a frame connected thereto, arms upon said members and extending above and below the frame, braces connecting the arms to intermediate portions of the frame, means for oscillating the frame and members, and elements pivotally supported :vvith'i'n, thev frame and movable upwardly f'therei-n -,to close the frame.

[2; In .ian aerodrome, an elevating plane,

including a frame made up of upper and.

lower connected members, flaps supported between the. members means for limiting the movement 'of the flaps in one direction relative to the frame,--d1verging arms connected to the frame, levers extending from the arms, and brace wires diverging from said arms and connected to the frame at different points between the ends thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GUY SNOW.

Witnesses:

. T. J. BROUGHTEN,

J M. Boocs. 

